To isolate files, just as to quarantine sick persons means to isolate them from others in order to stop the spread of disease. Typically, files suspected of containing a virus are put into quarantine so that they cannot be opened or executed.

Symantec’s AntiVirus Corporate Edition of software detects suspected files as well as virus-infected files that cannot be patched with current sets of virus-definition remedies. From the “Quarantine” area on a local computer, the quarantined files can be forwarded to Symantec Security Response’s central network quarantine for analysis. If the file is found to be infected by a new virus, updated virus definitions and remedies are returned.

See Also: Anti-Virus Software; Malware; Virus.